How do you do a drive thru baby shower?

Hosting a baby shower during the Covid-19 pandemic can be done, it just takes a little more planning and some creative thinking. To keep parents, baby, and your guests safe, hosting a drive by baby shower is a great alternative to a traditional shower. 

Also known as a drive through baby shower or baby shower parade, a drive by baby shower is a socially distant way of showering parents-to-be, and it’s become pretty popular during the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s a safer way of celebrating that can involve dropping off gifts, getting out of the car and meeting on the driveway to give your well wishes. Or it can simply involve driving past the soon-to-be parents and honking horns, waving, and wishing them well from afar. These drive-by baby showers aren’t traditional baby showers, but they can still be fun and bring joy to a new mom and dad.

How do you plan a drive by baby shower?

This type of baby shower is often done as a car parade, so it’s best having everyone meet in a parking lot or designated place ahead of time so you can all arrive as a parade together. Provide the registry and address in the baby shower invitation so out-of-town guests who can’t attend can still send a gift. Decorate your cars with balloons, bows, and ribbons. You can also play a song on your car radio as well.

If you’d like to hang out in a safe and socially distanced way, you can have people park their cars and meet on the driveway or somewhere outside. In this case, assigning time slots may be best. If the future parents want to get more interpersonal time with each guest, assign time slots to each guest or household so they can come inside and get more facetime. Of course, it goes without saying—don’t forget face masks (and hand sanitizer is nice, too)! 

Drive by baby shower ideas

Just because this isn’t a traditional baby shower doesn’t mean you can’t get creative or have a theme. In fact, new parents have had pretty inventive baby showers during the time we’ve been social distancing, and this may give you a chance to really flex your creative muscle. We’ve come up with some drive through baby shower ideas to get you started:

1. Space-themed baby shower car parade: Let the countdown to baby begin! Dressing up your car as a spaceship (or yourself as an alien) is always encouraged.

2. A “dance-by” baby shower: Play music for friends and loved ones who live close by and can stop by for a dance or two.

3. Drive-by gender reveal or name reveal: Plug in string lights outside to see if they light up blue or pink! Or skip the pink and blue and reveal the baby’s name instead!

4. Surprise drive-by sprinkle: Have a mini surprise soirée for parents welcoming their second (or any!) child.

5. Drive-by sip-and-see: If the baby has already arrived, people can simply swing by and see them from afar. Or host a virtual sip and see and show-off baby on its first Zoom call! 

6. Virtual baby shower: Meet on Zoom for a wild one and have a drive-by parade after-party for locals.

7. Twins drive-by baby shower: Double the love! 

8. Black Metal baby shower: Celebrate the upcoming arrival of a new little metal head with a drive through baby shower with a Black Metal theme – face paint encouraged. 

Drive off baby shower ideas

1. Drive through baby shower to celebrate the new parents: Drive by and drop off your gift in a crib, which will be set up on the lawn! (Gifts are welcome to be dropped off without a crib, of course.)

2. Build baby’s library drop off shower: Drive by and drop off a book on a bookshelf so the new baby will start off with some great stories. Plus, we have the perfect storybook baby shower invitation! 

3. Drop off a note of encouragement: if the new parents don’t want or need gifts, asks guests instead to drop off a card with a note of encouragement. If the guests are parents themselves, ask that they add a piece of advice — something they wished they knew, or a piece of advice that has helped them.

4. Cupcake drop off and drive by sprinkle: some second-time parents feel sheepish about friends throwing them another baby shower. No need to skip though; just keep it simple and sweet. Have guests make a quick stop to drop off a small gift and say hi. Prep individually wrapped cupcakes or cookies for guests to take as a thank you for celebrating the new parents. The invitation wording can be simple too: “Drive up, drop off a gift, and pick up a sweet treat to sprinkle mama and baby with love!”

5. Diaper drop off baby shower: celebrate the new baby joining the neighborhood with a diaper drop off! Help the new parents get ready for the arrival of their little baby with a socially distanced driveway diaper drop-off! Note what diapers the parents intend to use, and if any additional gifts are welcome.

Make a drive by baby shower invitation

“This Train’s Going Local” drive by baby shower invitation by Mr. Boddington’s Studio for Paperless Post

Paperless Post has two products for creating the perfect drive by baby shower invitations : Cards and Flyer. Flyer lets you use content blocks to have a virtual guest book so guests can add their parenting tips and well wishes, and a link to a Google document/Sheet/presentation to add your updated address (so the parents can easily send thank you notes!)

But either product lets you add a customized message for drive by baby shower guests and attach a baby registry link (or three). Make sure to add a note to let guests know that it’s okay to RSVP no if they feel uncomfortable attending. A sweet and simple note like this should do: 

“Although there is lots of space to social distance, we completely understand if you aren’t comfortable in social settings due to the C-word. We will celebrate with you at his next birthday!”

There are plenty of cute drive by baby shower invitations to choose from, no matter what the theme of your baby shower is. And if you’re planning a virtual baby shower, we have virtual invitations in which you can include a Zoom link!

Drive by baby shower invitation wording

Not sure what to say for a drive by baby shower invitation? We have your back. You can use something from these examples, or use them as inspiration to write your own.

“Toy Parade” drive by baby shower invitation by Little Cube for Paperless Post

Surprise drive-by couples shower wording

Meet in the Mercer Elementary parking lot between 11:30-11:45am to organize the drive-by baby shower procession. Christina and Wes will be at home, we’ll drive by and shower them with gifts for their baby boy! We will have drinks and snacks on the lawn if you’d like to park and socialize at a distance. Shh…the drive-by baby shower is a surprise!

Surprise drive by baby shower wording

We will meet in the north parking lot of Westminster Church off of Lafayette and 44th. After everyone has arrived, we will caravan to the Smith’s and surprise Nicole! Individually wrapped car treats will be provided! Feel free to bring your whole family in the car. Please wear masks!

Drive by sprinkle wording

Baby girl is on her way! Please join us for a drive-by baby shower honoring Christina Smith on Saturday, January 3rd at 11am. Big Sister Judy has plenty to share, it’s just a sprinkle to show we care. Not much is needed, just the basics will do… like diapers (Huggies), wipes, or a book or two!

Twins drive-by baby shower wording

Double the love! Christine and James are having twins! Let’s celebrate! You are invited to a twins drive-by baby shower. January 3rd. 1-3pm. 123 W. North Street, Chicago, IL.

Socially distanced baby shower wording

Join us for a socially distanced baby shower! While we truly wish we could celebrate with a more traditional party with loved ones, we’d still love to see you for a socially distanced shower for Baby Smith! Drop by anytime between 11am-4pm to chat and catch up, enjoy individually-packaged, COVID-safe snacks and drinks, see the baby bump, and get the inside scoop on Baby Smith! P.S. Please, please wear a mask! 

Space-themed baby shower parade wording

Bring posters, cards, pink balloons, or flowers. Honk, play music, decorate your car with space decor and say, congratulations to Tami and Michael on the countdown to the new baby! Meet at Mercer Elementary pick-up line on December 27th, and get ready to send the new parents some socially distanced cheer. If you are attending the drive-by please make sure you are wearing your mask when we deliver your treats to your vehicle. Use space decor if possible to go with “The countdown to baby begins!” 

No-gifts drive-by baby shower wording

We’re excited to celebrate our new baby with you and your presence at our drive-by shower will really be present enough! If you’re still thinking of sending a gift for Baby Smith, we are registered at BabyList, Target, and Amazon. Use my last name to find us. 

Virtual baby shower wording (with drive-by shower afterwards for locals)

Let’s show Baby Smith some love on Zoom on Sunday, November 28th, 2020 from 11:30am-1:00pm. Gifts can be mailed to Chad and Brianna’s house. Registered at: Amazon and Babylist. There will also be a drive-by baby shower following the Zoom baby shower for friends and family who live in town. Please stop by 1109 Duffield Road between 2:00pm-4:00pm to see Chad and Brianna in person from a distance, and receive pre-packaged treats and a party favor. Please RSVP and note if you will be attending the virtual baby shower or the drive-by parade, or both. If you are experiencing any Covid-19 like symptoms, please remain at your home and enjoy the Zoom baby shower! 

What to serve at a drive-by baby shower? 

“Party March” drive by baby shower invitation by Little Cube for Paperless Post

You’re not obligated to provide treats to guests, especially given social distancing. But, you may want to! In order to still keep things as safe as possible, avoid any shared food items. Of course, always have some hand sanitizer and napkins on hand, and note on your baby shower invitation that guests are welcome to decline. Individually packaged treats are a great way to go, but if you want to go all out, here are some more options:

An ice cream truck: Great for warmer months!

Individual “party bags”: Put together a bag of treats and party favors, just like at a kid’s birthday party.

Food truck: Think of things that are relatively easy to eat. Some food truck ideas include sandwiches, empanadas, or burritos, or french fries served with forks.

Coffee, hot cocoa, or apple cider, drive-through style: This is a great option for colder months, and likely to be very much appreciated. Consider adding a note to your invitation such as: “There’s no need to step out of your car, we will take your coffee or hot cocoa order at the loop and bring it to you when you reach the driveway!”

Browse Baby Shower

Read more virtual baby shower ideas on our blog, as well as other quarantine baby shower ideas. Browse all virtual party invitations. Want to use a GIF or share your baby shower invite on Facebook? Use a Flyer baby shower invitation to use a sharable link.